Crazed Ugandan politicians throw punches, chairs in parliament

The fight came after a proposed law change favouring the incumbent President. Credits: Reuters

Ugly scenes have broken out in Uganda's parliament after a heated debate on whether long-serving President Yoweri Museveni should get another term in office.

In footage of the incident, politicians can be seen throwing chairs at one another and engaging in fisticuffs as the disagreements became more and more frenzied.

The fracas came about after the ruling party introduced a motion that would remove an age cap of 75 years on the country's President from the constitution - a move that would allow Mr Museveni to stand for re-election.

President Museveni, who has been in power for more than three decades, has already been accused of lying about his age in order to be deemed legally young enough to remain in power.

The fracas, started by members of the opposition, was ultimately successful in its aim of thwarting the introduction of the bill. After the fight, party members then broke into repeated singing of the national anthem and crowded around the House speaker's podium.

The hullaballoo was too much for the House speaker who, after many attempts to bring the parliament back to order and quieten the disgruntled opposition party, adjourned the session.

Resistance to another presidential term from Mr Museveni is widespread, with human rights activists, religious leaders, MPs and members of his own party protesting him getting another term.

President Museveni is a divisive figure in the east African nation, having passed controversial anti-homosexuality legislation in 2014 and failing to adequately address the country's major corruption problem.

His critics say he has also become increasingly combative and intolerant to opposing views the longer he has served as President.